Floor wax applicator with throw-away head

ABSTRACT

A wax applicator provided with a throw-away wax applicator head. The wax applicator includes an elongated carrier member to which is rigidly secured an elongated pulling handle. The carrier member includes an upper rigid portion and a lower cushion portion. The disposable wax applicator head is mounted against the lower cushion portion and it includes a wax applicator element made from an absorbent material and which is centrally attached to a sheet of non-woven, non-absorbent backing material that is folded upward and over the carrier member upper rigid portion and secured thereto by releasable retainer means.

ite States Patent [191 Griffin et a1.

[11] 3,827,100 1 Aug. 6, 1974 FLOOR WAX APPLICATOR WITH THRUW-AWAY HEAD [76] Inventors: Dana K. Griffin, 24714 Madison Ct. Apt. 296, Farmington, Mich. 48024; John R. Wilson, 3203 E. Bradford Dr., Birmingham, Mich. 48010 [58] Field of Search. 15/147 R, 147 A, 228, 229 R, 15/229 A, 229 AP, 229 B, 229 BP, 231, 232; 211/6, 16, 89; 248/314 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,099,855 8/1963 Nash 15/231 3,333,293 8/1967 Skurdelis 15/231 X 7/1971 Strauss 15/229 BP 9/1973 Griffin et al. 15/231 5 7 ABSTRACT A wax applicator provided with a throw-away wax applicator head. The wax applicator includes an elongated carrier member to which is rigidly secured an elongated pulling handle. The carrier member includes an upper rigid portion and a lower cushion portion. The disposable wax applicator head is mounted against the lower cushion portion and it includes a wax applicator element made from an absorbent material and which is centrally attached to a sheet of nonwoven, non-absorbent backing material that is folded upward and over the carrier member upper rigid portion and secured thereto by releasable retainer means.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMJB 61914 3.827.100

SHEET 1 [IF 2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to the wax applicator art, and more particularly, to an improved wax applicator having a disposable wax applicator element.

Heretofore, when carrying out waxing operations on large floor areas, as for example, in commercial buildings, it has been the practice to employ a wet mop waxing method. The wax is usually contained in a pal] and the mop is dipped in the pail and then mopped back and forth over the floor. A disadvantage of the prior art wet mop method for waxing floors is that it is time consuming and it involves high labor costs. A further disadvantage of the prior art wet mop method is that in waxing floors in buildings where there is contamination, as in a hospital in a contagious area, the wet mop is being continuously dipped into the pail and the wax'becomes contaminated. There is a danger of spreading contagion throughout a hospital by the use of such a wet mop method. In view of the foregoing, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved wax applicator which is used with a wax spraying method that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art wet mop waxing method.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved low cost wax applicator which is used with a method of spraying wax on a floor, and wherein the applicator includes a detachable applicator element which may be thrown away after a waxing operation, whereby it can be used for waxing floor areas without spreading contamination, as for example the floor area of a hospital contagious ward.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved wax applicator which is compact and simple in construction, light in weight, economical to manufacture, and efficient in use.

. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved wax applicator which includes an elongated carrier member provided on the upper side thereof with a first plurality of holes disposed inwardly from the ends of the carrier member, and a second plurality of holes disposed between the ends of the carrier member and said first plurality of holes, an elongated handle rigidly attached to the carrier member at an acute angle to the upper side of the carrier member for retaining the handle in a position for pulling the wax applicator over a surface being waxed, a wax applicator head including a wax applicator element made from an absorbent material and fixed centrally on a sheet of non-absorbing backing material along a straight line so as to provide a pair of attachment flaps on either side of the applicator element, and which attachment flaps are folded upward and over the upper side of said carrier member, and retainer means carried in said plurality of holes on said carrier member for operative engagement with said attachment flaps for releasably securing the wax applicator to the carrier member. The wax applicator head is provided with a plurality of attachment tabs for operative engagement with the retainer means in said first plurality of holes. The wax applicator head backing material comprises a non-woven polypropylene material.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, appended claims, andthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational, perspective view of a floor wax applicator made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse elevational section view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 2-2 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a transverse elevational section view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 3-3 thereof, and looking inthe direction of the arrows.

FIG; 4 is a fragmentary, exploded, perspective view showing a pair of wax applicator attachment cups and a portion of the applicator carrier member.

FIG.5 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, elevational section view of the wax applicator structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 5--5 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, top plan view of a modified applicator head, showing the applicator head spread flat before mounting on an applicator carrier member.

FIG. 7 is an elevational section view, similar to FIG. 2, showing the modified applicator head of FIG. 6 mounted on a carrier member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5, the numeral 10 generally indicates a rectangular wax applicator carrier member or block on which is operatively mounted a wax applicator head, generally indicated by the numeral 11. The carrier member 10 includes an upper elongated rigid portion 12 which may be made from any suitable material, as, for example, from an elongated, rectangularly shaped layer of wood. The carrier member 10 also includes an elongated, rectangularly shaped lower cushion pad or portion 13 which is attached to the lower surface of the rigid block portion 12 by any suitable means, as by a suitable adhesive. The cushion pad 11 may be made from any suitable material as for example, a suitable rubber or a suitable foam plastic material, as polyurethane foam plastic.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a suitable bumper member 14 is mounted around the periphery of the carrier member rigid block portion 12. The bumper 14 may be made from any suitable elastic material, as for example, a suitable rubber or foam plastic material which is adhered to the outer periphery of the block portion 12 by any suitable means, as by a suitable adhesive.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wax applicator is provided with an elongated handle 15 which is made from any suitable material, as for example, wood, and which has its lower end operatively secured to a handle attachment means generally indicated by the numeral 16. As shown in FIG. 1, the handle attachment means 16 includes a tube or sleeve 17 in which is fixed the lower end of the handle 15, as by a press fit. The tube 17 is secured, as by welding, to the upper end of a pair of wire rod legs 18, which diverge downwardly and outwardly from the tube 17. The lower end of each of the wire rod legs 18 is integrally connected to a semicircular wire rod attachment portion 19. The wire rod attachment portions 19 are integrally connected by a transverse, horizontal wire rod member 20.

As best seen in FIG. 5, the handle attachment means 16 is disposed on the carrier member with the rod portions 19 and 20 seated centrally on the upper side of the carrier member block 12. A pair of suitable bolts 21 are mounted through the carrier member 10, through suitable holes 22 that pass through the cushion pad 13 and the carrier block 12. The heads of the screws 21 are disposed downwardly, and the free ends of the screws extended upwardly and through the wire rod attachment portions 19. The handle attachment means 16 is releasably secured to the carrier member 12 by a pair of washers 23 and wing nuts 24 which are operatively seated on the upper side of the wire rod attachment portions 19.

The handle attachment means 16 rigidly secures the handle at an acute angle relative to the upper side of the carrier member 10 for even pulling of the wax applicator, as more fully explained hereinafter. In order to provide additional rigidity for pulling purposes, the handle 15 is provided with a brace structure, generally indicated by the numeral 25 in FIG. 1. The brace structure 25 includes a pair of brace rods 26 which are each pivotally mounted at its upper end on a pivot pin 27. As shown in FIG. 1, the brace structure 25 includes a pair of semi-circular clamp members 28 which are each provided with an outwardly extended arm 29 on each end thereof. The pivot pins 27 are carried between the arm 29 on the two clamp members 28. As shown in FIG. 5, each of the lower ends of the brace rods 26 has an integral horizontal flange 30 which is seated on the upper side of the carrier member block portion 12. The flanges 30 are secured to the carrier member block portion 12 by a pair of suitable bolts 31 that extend through holes 32 formed through the carrier member 10. Each of the flanges 30 is secured in place on the carrier member 10 by a suitable wing nut 33.

As will be seen from FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the wax applicator head 11 includes a wax applicator element 34 which is made from either cotton or rayon absorbent material and which is shown in strand form, in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The wax applicator element 34 may be treated with a suitable germicide agent which will kill staph germs. A preferable rayon material for the wax applicator element 34 is one available on the market under the trademark TURAN, from the Tu-Way Products Company of Birmingham, Michigan.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wax applicator element 34 is operatively attached by any suitable means, as by adhesive or by stitching to a sheet of backing material 35. The sheet of backing material 35 is made from a non-absorbent, non-woven material, as for example, a non-woven polypropylene material. The wax applicator head 11 is non-launderable, and because it is economical to make, it can be employed as a throwaway waxing applicator head.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the wax applicator head 11 has the wax applicator element 34 disposed centrally along the lower side of the backing sheet 35, and the portion of the sheet 35 to either side of the wax applicator element 34 forms two attachment flaps 36 which are adapted to be folded upwardly and over the top side of the carrier member 10, and to be secured in place by the following described structure.

As will be seen from an inspection of FIGS. 1 and 5, the carrier member 10 is provided with a first plurality of holes 44 which are disposed in block portion 12 inwardly from the ends of the carrier member 10 and in pairs on each side of the handle attachment means 16. Slidably mounted by a friction flt in each of the holes 44 is a retainer means generally indicated by the numeral 39. A second plurality of holes 44 are formed on the upper side of the carrier member block 12 in positions outboard of the first plurality of holes, and in pairs disposed inwardly from the ends of the carrier member block 12. As illustrated, said first and second plurality of holes comprise a total of eight holes, with four holes being disposed along one side of the carrier member 10, and four holes 44 being disposed in aligned positions along the other side thereof. Each of the second plurality of holes 44 has also slidably mounted therein, by a friction fit, one of the retainer means 39.

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the retainer means 39 comprises a retainer cup having a cylindrical body 40 and an integral top end wall 41, through which is formed a pair of cross slits 42. The retainer means 39 are made from any suitable flexible material, as for example, a suitable flexible plastic material so that the portions of the cup end wall between the slits 42 are flexible.

The carrier member 10 is preferably of a length of from 36 to 40 inches. The material of the attachment flaps 36 in the center portion thereof can not be stretched for extending the same downwardly into the retainer means 39, and accordingly, the central portion of each of the attachment flaps 36 is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced apart attachment tabs 37. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the attachment tabs 37 has the inner end thereof secured to the inner face of an attachment flap 36, and the outer end is free and is provided with a snap member or the like 38. As shown in FIG. 2, the free outer ends of the attachment tabs 37 carrying the snap members 38 are pressed downwardly through the slits 42 in their respective retainer means 39. The snap members 38 function to retain the attachment tabs 37 and the attachment flaps 36, along the central area thereof, on the carrier member 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, the longitudinal ends of the attachment flaps 36 can be bunched inwardly so as to provide enough material for inserting a portion thereof downwardly through the slits 42, as indicated by the numeral 43, in FIG. 3. The portions of the cup wall 41, between the slits 42, spring upward and hold the attachment flaps 36 in place on the carrier member 10.

The wax applicator of ,the present invention is used for applying wax on large floor areas in a fast and economical manner. With the wax applicator of the present invention, much saving in time and labor is effected when waxing a floor, as compared to the use of the prior art wet mop method. In the present method, an ordinary pump type garden sprayer unit is filled with wax, and one man sprays wax along a predetermined straight line, and over a predetermined area in accordance with the length of the wax applicator. A second man grasps the handle 15 of the wax applicator and then follows along behind the first man and pulls the wax applicator so that the wax applicator element 34 spreads the wax evenly that has been sprayed on the floor in a quick, fast and efficient manner.

The wax applicator of the present invention provides great savings in labor and material for applying wax to large floor areas. The system of spraying the wax and spreading it evenly with the applicator of the present invention permits the quick and easy application of one or more coats of wax on a large floor area in a much faster and more economical manner than heretofore possible with the prior art wet mop method. In accordance with the present invention, the wax is sprayed in straight lines back and forth across a floor area, and the wax applicator is pulled along immediately behind the spraying unit for evenly spreading and applying the wax over the entire area that the applicator passes over.

It will be understood that the wax sprayer may be mounted in conjunction with the wax applicator or may be manually carried, or rollably mounted on a suitable means. The fact that the wax applicator head 11 is made from economical materials makes it also economically feasible for throwing an applicator head away after each job, or as is necessary due to the particular job being carried out. For example, after spreading the wax in a contagious area of a hospital, an applicator head 11 could be thrown away and a second applicator head 11 applied for waxing other floor areas in the hospital. The cushion 13 on the bottom of the wood portion 12 of the carrier member provides a uniform pressure as the applicator moves over uneven surfaces of a floor so as to spread the wax evenly.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention, and the parts of the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 which are the same as the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5, have been marked with the same reference numerals, followed by the small letter a. The only difference between the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 and the first described embodiment of FIGS. 1

through 5 is that the wax applicator element 34a is shown as being formed with loops of cotton or rayon instead of straight strands. The numeral 45 designates longitudinal stitching that attaches the wax applicator 34a to the sheet of backing material 35a. The embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 would function in the same manner as the first described embodiment.

The wax spraying method of the present invention includes a first step of spraying wax from a suitable container over a floor area along a predetermined path, and with said path having a predetermined width. A wax applicator made in accordance with the present invention is then pulled over said path so as to spread the wax evenly. The wax applicator is made with a width at least equal to the width of the path over which the wax has been sprayed. It will be understood that an entire floor area can be quickly and easily waxed by this method, by making successive contiguous lines or paths across or along the floor area in any desired order.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wax applicator, the combination comprising:

a. an elongated carrier member provided on the upper side thereof with a first plurality of holes disposed inwardly from the ends of the carrier member, and a second plurality of holes disposed between the ends of the carrier member and said first plurality of holes:

b. an elongated handle;

c. means for rigidly attaching the lower end of the handle to said carrier member and for maintaining the handle at an acute angle to the upper side of the carrier member for retaining the handle in a position for pulling the wax applicator over a surface being waxed;

d. a wax applicator head including a wax applicator element made from an absorbent material and fixed centrally to a sheet of non-absorbent backing material along a straight line so as to provide a pair of attachment flaps on either side of the applicator element, and which attachment flaps are folded upward and over the upper side of said carrier member;

e. retainer members carried in said plurality of holes on said carrier member for operative engagement with said attachment flaps for releasably securing the wax applicator to the carrier member; and, said wax applicator head being provided with a plurality of attachment tabs for operative engagement with the retainer members in said first plurality of holes.

2. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 1,

wherein:

a. said wax applicator head backing material comprises a non-woven polypropylene material.

3. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 1,

wherein:

a. said retainer member in each of said holes comprises a retainer cup mounted in each hole and provided with slits on the outer end thereof through v which are extended said attachment tabs for said first plurality of holes, and through which are extended portions of said attachment flaps in said plurality of holes for releasably securing the wax applicator head to the carrier member.

4. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 3,

wherein:

a. each of said attachment tabs is provided with a retainer member which is adapted to be extended into one of the retainer cups in the first plurality of holes for releasably securing the attachment tab in the retainer cup.

5. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 2,

wherein:

a. said carrier member includes an upper rigid portion in which said holes are formed, a lower cushion portion which is secured to the lower surface of said rigid portion, and a peripheral cushion formed around the periphery of said rigid portion.

6. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 5,

wherein:

a. said wax applicator element comprises strands of an absorbent material.

7. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 5,

herein:

a. said wax applicator element comprises loops of an absorbent material.

8. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 5,

wherein:

a. said wax applicator absorbent material comprises a cotton material.

9. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 5,

wherein:

a. said wax applicator absorbent material comprises a rayon material.

110. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 5, wherein:

a. said carrier member rigid portion includes an elongated, rectangularly shaped block of wood, and said cushion portion comprises a cushion pad secured to the lower side of said block of wood. I? i =l= UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. a, 827, 100 Dated August 6, 1974 Inventor(s) Dana K. Griffin and John R. Wilson It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line No. 33

before "plurality" insert second Signed ans sealed this lst day of April 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

C Z-z'AR-SHALL D5, N PT"??? C T531? T? t M lo. is Commissioner 01. Patents attesting Orficer and Trademarks F ORM PO-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC GOING-P69 v: u.s. GOVERNMENT mm'rme OFFICE: I!" 0-366-334 

1. In a wax applicator, the combination comprising: a. an elongated carrier member provided on the upper side thereof with a first plurality of holes disposed inwardly from the ends of the carrier member, and a second plurality of holes disposed between the ends of the carrier member and said first plurality of holes: b. an elongated handle; c. means for rigidly attaching the lower end of the handle to said carrier member and for maintaining the handle at an acute angle to the upper side of the carrier member for retaining the handle in a position for pulling the wax applicator over a surface being waxed; d. a wax applicator head including a wax applicator element made from an absorbent material and fixed centrally to a sheet of non-absorbent backing material along a straight line so as to provide a pair of attachment flaps on either side of the applicator element, and which attachment flaps are folded upward and over the upper side of said carrier member; e. retainer members carried in said plurality of holes on said carrier member for operative engagement with said attachment flaps for releasably securing the wax applicator to the carrier member; and, f. said wax applicator head being provided with a plurality of attachment tabs for operative engagement with the retainer members in said first plurality of holes.
 2. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. said wax applicator head backing material comprises a non-woven polypropylene material.
 3. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. said retainer member in each of said holes comprises a retainer cup mounted in each hole and provided with slits on the outer end thereof through which are extended said attachment tabs for said first plurality of holes, and through which are extended portions of said attachment flaps in said plurality of holes for releasably securing the wax applicator head to the carrier member.
 4. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 3, wherein: a. each of said attachment tabs is provided with a retainer member which is adapted to be extended into one of the retainer cups in the first plurality of holes for releasably securing the attachment tab in the retainer cup.
 5. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 2, wherein: a. said carrier member includes an upper rigid portion in which said holes are formed, a lower cushion portion which is secured to the lower surface of said rigid portion, and a peripheral cushion formed around the periphery of said rigid portion.
 6. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 5, wherein: a. said wax applicator element comprises strands of an absorbent material.
 7. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 5, herein: a. said wax applicator element comprises loops of an absorbent material.
 8. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 5, wherein: a. said wax applicator absorbent material comprises a cotton material.
 9. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 5, wherein: a. said wax applicator absorbent material comprises a rayon material.
 10. The wax applicator structure as defined in claim 5, wherein: a. said carrier member rigid portion includes an elongated, rectangularly shaped block of wood, and said cushion portion comprises a cushion pad secured to the lower side of said block of wood. 